I’m sharing an easy Slow Cooked Chili with ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and homemade chili seasoning that frees up my afternoon and includes a simple trick to get the kids involved in the cooking.
I didn’t plan for a recipe to steal so many weeknights but this Slow Cooker Beef Chili did. I use ground beef and kidney beans so the bowl feels hearty and honest, not fussy.
The texture that comes from Slow Cooking Ground Beef surprised me, it makes every spoonful satisfy in a way I didnt expect. This Chili Recipe Crock Pot version somehow tastes homemade even when I’m short on time.
It’s a good one to get kids curious about cooking, they always ask questions about the ingredients. #BeefItsWhatsForDinner @beeffordinner #sponsored
Ingredients
- Ground beef gives rich protein and fat, makes chili hearty and satisfying
- Kidney and pinto beans add fiber, plant protein, and creamy texture
- Canned tomatoes bring acidity, sweetness, and lots of tomatoey depth
- Tomato paste thickens, concentrates flavor, boosts umami without extra liquid
- Yellow onion gives savory sweetness when cooked, helps round the flavors
- Garlic adds bite and warmth, don’t overcook or it turns bitter
- Chili powder supplies smoky, earthy heat, mixes well with other spices
- Ground cumin gives warm, nutty notes, makes chili taste deeper and richer
- Beef broth adds savory depth, keeps chili saucy without watering it down
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
- Optional toppings: shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped green onions, cilantro, tortilla chips
How to Make this
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the diced onion and the green bell pepper if you’re using it, cook until soft about 4 to 5 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
2. Push veggies to the side, add the 2 lb ground beef and brown, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains. Drain off most of the fat (or spoon it out) but leave a little for flavor.
3. Stir in the 6 oz tomato paste, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp cayenne if you want heat, and 1 tbsp brown sugar if you want to mellow the acidity. Cook 1 to 2 minutes to toast the spices and coat the meat.
4. Add 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 1 cup beef broth to the pan, scrape up the browned bits with a spoon and bring to a simmer for a minute.
5. Transfer the beef mixture to the slow cooker. Add the 2 cans kidney beans and 1 can pinto beans, all drained and rinsed, plus the 2 cans diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir everything to combine.
6. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours. Let it putter away so the flavors get deep and the beef stays juicy.
7. About 20 to 30 minutes before serving check seasoning and thickness. If it’s too thin, stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water) and cook uncovered until thickened. If it’s too thick add a splash more beef broth. Adjust salt, pepper or cayenne to taste.
8. Just before serving give it one last stir and a taste, add a little more Worcestershire or brown sugar if it needs balance. Reheat briefly if it cooled while you were fixing toppings.
9. Serve topped with shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions, cilantro and tortilla chips if you like. Kids can help add the toppings so they feel proud of dinner.
Equipment Needed
1. Large skillet or frying pan (12-inch)
2. Slow cooker (4–6 quart)
3. Cutting board
4. Chef’s knife
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring and breaking up the beef
6. Can opener
7. Colander or fine mesh strainer for rinsing beans
8. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
9. Small bowl and fork or whisk (for the cornstarch slurry)
FAQ
Slow Cooker Beef Chili Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Ground beef (80/20):
- Ground turkey — leaner, so add 1 tbsp oil while browning or it can dry out
- Ground pork — richer and fattier, same cook time, gives a sweeter flavor
- Cooked brown lentils (about 1.5 cups) — for a vegetarian swap, add more spices and a splash of soy or Worcestershire for umami
- Kidney beans:
- Black beans — similar size and texture, mild flavor, drop right in
- Pinto beans — creamier, works great if you like a softer bite
- Great Northern or cannellini beans — lighter, makes chili a bit creamier
- Tomato paste (6 oz):
- Crushed tomatoes or tomato puree — use a bit more and simmer longer to thicken, reduces sharpness
- Tomato sauce plus a teaspoon of tomato paste powder if you have it — keeps the concentrated tomato flavor
- In a pinch, ketchup (1–2 tbsp) — gives tomato and sweetness, so skip extra brown sugar
- Beef broth:
- Chicken broth — lighter, but still adds savory liquid
- Vegetable broth — good for a milder, less beefy chili
- Water plus 1 tsp beef bouillon or 1 tbsp soy sauce — quick umami fix if you’re out of broth
Pro Tips
– Toast your spices so they actually taste like something. After the meat is browned stir in the chili powder, cumin, paprika etc and cook a minute or two so they bloom. Dont let the garlic burn though, toss it in right after the onions are soft.
– Leave a little fat for flavor but get rid of the rest. Spoon most of it out but keep about a tablespoon. Then pour a splash of the beef broth into the hot pan and scrape up the browned bits before you transfer to the slow cooker, that stuff is liquid gold for flavor.
– Control the bean texture and thickness without overcooking. Mash about a cup of the drained beans with a fork before adding them, it gives body without adding starch. If you need to thicken at the end try a tiny bit of masa harina mixed with water for a nice corney thickness, its better than cornstarch for chili and wont get gluey if you simmer it a bit.
– Balance at the end, not the start. Taste near the end and tweak with a pinch of brown sugar or a splash of vinegar or lime juice to brighten it, or a little Worcestershire or instant espresso for depth. Add tiny amounts, taste again, and dont overdo it.
Slow Cooker Beef Chili Recipe
I’m sharing an easy Slow Cooked Chili with ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and homemade chili seasoning that frees up my afternoon and includes a simple trick to get the kids involved in the cooking.
6
servings
643
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large skillet or frying pan (12-inch)
2. Slow cooker (4–6 quart)
3. Cutting board
4. Chef’s knife
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring and breaking up the beef
6. Can opener
7. Colander or fine mesh strainer for rinsing beans
8. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
9. Small bowl and fork or whisk (for the cornstarch slurry)
Ingredients
-
2 lb ground beef (80/20)
-
1 medium yellow onion, diced
-
1 green bell pepper diced (optional)
-
3 cloves garlic, minced
-
2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
-
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
-
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
-
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
-
1 cup beef broth
-
2 tbsp chili powder
-
1 tbsp ground cumin
-
1 tsp smoked paprika
-
1 tsp dried oregano
-
1 tsp kosher salt
-
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
-
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
-
1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)
-
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
-
1 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
-
Optional toppings: shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped green onions, cilantro, tortilla chips
Directions
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the diced onion and the green bell pepper if you’re using it, cook until soft about 4 to 5 minutes, then add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Push veggies to the side, add the 2 lb ground beef and brown, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains. Drain off most of the fat (or spoon it out) but leave a little for flavor.
- Stir in the 6 oz tomato paste, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp cayenne if you want heat, and 1 tbsp brown sugar if you want to mellow the acidity. Cook 1 to 2 minutes to toast the spices and coat the meat.
- Add 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 1 cup beef broth to the pan, scrape up the browned bits with a spoon and bring to a simmer for a minute.
- Transfer the beef mixture to the slow cooker. Add the 2 cans kidney beans and 1 can pinto beans, all drained and rinsed, plus the 2 cans diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir everything to combine.
- Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours. Let it putter away so the flavors get deep and the beef stays juicy.
- About 20 to 30 minutes before serving check seasoning and thickness. If it’s too thin, stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water) and cook uncovered until thickened. If it’s too thick add a splash more beef broth. Adjust salt, pepper or cayenne to taste.
- Just before serving give it one last stir and a taste, add a little more Worcestershire or brown sugar if it needs balance. Reheat briefly if it cooled while you were fixing toppings.
- Serve topped with shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions, cilantro and tortilla chips if you like. Kids can help add the toppings so they feel proud of dinner.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 538g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 643kcal
- Fat: 33.3g
- Saturated Fat: 12.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.12g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.7g
- Monounsaturated: 15g
- Cholesterol: 121mg
- Sodium: 980mg
- Potassium: 583mg
- Carbohydrates: 44.3g
- Fiber: 9.3g
- Sugar: 6g
- Protein: 50.7g
- Vitamin A: 1200IU
- Vitamin C: 30mg
- Calcium: 200mg
- Iron: 4.2mg